Beer: Reviews & Ratings

Reviews by FreshHawk:

More User Reviews:

3.31/5 rDev -22.8%

Brown glass bottle with black papered over pry-off pressure cap and paper pull-tab purchased in SoCal years ago and served into an Odell stem-tulip in me friend's gaff in high altitude Fort Collins, CO. Reviewed live. Expectations are above average; I'm skeptical of this brewery's beers but the current 96 rating is interesting.

Served cold and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

No bubble show forms as it's poured.

HEAD: One finger wide. Khaki colour. Nice even smooth consistency. Nicely creamy. Retention is above average - about 2.5 minutes. No lacing sticks to the sides of the glass as the head recedes.

The oak is lovely, as is the complementary bourbon. It's surprisingly well balanced for a Firestone Walker blend, and boasts impressive complexity as well as some limited subtlety. I like it, and it has some loose cohesion, but it isn't gestalt. Well-executed and enjoyable.

Nice depth and amplitude of flavour. Above average intensity and duration of flavour.

TEXTURE: Fairly chewy. Full-bodied. Aptly thick. Smooth and wet. Has plenty of heft and weight on the palate, but while it's a sipper, it never feels overbearing or unnecessarily heavy.

OVERALL: She's a sipper, but she's enjoyable. A nice blend from Firestone Walker. I'm surprisingly happy I picked this up; it isn't as disappointing as most of this brewery's highly celebrated brews. I wouldn't necessarily get it again, but I do like it. Worth trying. I think this made the top 250 list upon release; that's unwarranted, but it is indeed tasty.

As good as it is, though, is all that blending and effort really necessary? Other (i.e. superior) breweries make far better strong ales with far less tinkering. Maybe Firestone Walker should hire staff capable of blending their own good beers without requiring the input of others (and the marketing opportunities associated therewith). Ultimately, it's a bit too sweet, which holds it back.

Thanks to Jeff for sharing this one with us! Pours a dark-ass brown color, very nearly black with a tan head, small and unobtrusive but lasting for at least half of the pour. The smell is very commanding and powerful, hitting first with a big vanilla-bourbon combination. Oaky, sweet, and full of spicy alcohol. Right from the nose, you know that this beer means serious business. If I had to guess, it smells more powerful than 13% ABV, although 13% is still nothing to scoff at. Nice balance of sweetness and booziness overall.

Wow, the taste is as robust and strong as they come. Thick and syrupy bourbon and whiskey right out of the gate. This one definitely tastes a bit higher than 13% ABV, it's pretty hot, but still remains drinkable given it's sheer power. Sweet brown sugar, sugar coated figs and dates. Very, very boozy vanilla and lots of oak and wood flavors. Moderate amounts of cocoa and toasted caramel in the finish, although the bourbon is still the most prominent thing in this brew. Slightly on the thicker side for the body, mild carbonation.

Whoa, this one will put you on your ass if you don't look out! Very strong and very powerful, yet deceivingly sweet and drinkable at the same time. A nicely crafted brew that I'm glad I got the chance to try. I'd like to see this one with a few years on it and see if the alcohol mellows out a bit, just a touch too hot right now. (1,396 characters)

A: Very dark brown/almost pitch black with a thin white head. S: Starts of very roasty with some coffee aroma and dark chocolate. Followed by vanilla, bourbon, oak and dark fruits. T: Not as much coffee as the nose, but there is still some roastiness in there. Tastes a lot like dark fruits (plum) mixed with chocolate and vanilla. Tastes more chocolately than the nose would suggest, almost like a chocolate doughnut. Bourbon and oak blend in very well at the end of this. M: Medium/thick bodied with light carbonation. Works well with the style. O: Firestone Walker does not disappoint. This beer is extremely well blended to showcase all of the elements. Dangerously drinkable. (697 characters)

Just about black with a moderately sized dark brown, somewhat persistent, head. Leaves streaks of random, messy bubbles irregularly down the glass. Very pretty. Not quite as thick in appearance as some barrel-aged stouts, but this is a gorgeous beer.

The aroma reminds me of a Milky Way candy bar: chocolate and caramel especially, with a little bit of vanilla nougat as well. There's a hint of booze, and some delicate dark fruit character--the dark fruit character emerges more and more as the beer warms. Very good, but not transcending.

The flavor is more complete and more complex than the aroma would suggest. Layers of chocolate, caramel, pie crust, vanilla, and mild oak combine exceptionally well. The alcohol is nicely hidden, though a complementary accent. Some mild roast, but it's not a main component of the beer's flavor. Wonderful stuff.

Near full in body with moderate carbonation. Surprisingly carbonated.

Fantastic. Much better than Firestone 15, and in the same realm as previous iterations. (1,057 characters)